Neither -2 arm nor +3 def does the trick

Maybe, then, I am trying the wrong trick?

Alrighty, I'll edit a new game right into this one. The games here have about a week in-between them, but since opponent had exactly same list and I had the same faction, I thought I wouldn't need a new post.

Two 75 point games of Warmachine with Skorne and Protectorate.

Game 1:

My list was:

Dominar Rasheth
- Agonizer
- 2x Basilisk Drake
- Basilisk Krea
- Tiberion
- Titan Sentry [
Paingiver Beast Handlers (max)
Venator Reivers (max) + Venator Reiver Officer & Standard

Ancestral Guardian
Aptimus Marketh

Opponent had:

The Harbinger of Menoth
- Devout
- Redeemer
- Vigilant
Choir of Menoth (min)
Flame Bringers (max)
2x Knights Exemplar
Visgoth Juviah Rhoven & Honor Guard
2x Allegiant of the Order of the Fist
Anastasia di Bray
Nicia, Tear of Vengeance
Hierophant
The Covenant of Menoth
Wrack

Scenario was Outlast and Protectorate started game.

Menite forces parked themselves, contesting both zones and well within Martyrdom range, waiting for me to commit.

And sure I did commit!

I rushed forward with Tiberion and Titan Sentry, and actually with pretty much everything I got. I placed Agonizer so that both heavies would benefit from Gnawing Pain, even if they would be attacked from maximum reach. Rasheth used his feat defensively, so that anything that would try to attack focal point would get -4 for damage rolls. Lucky deviations from Breath of Corruptions screened Skorne forces nicely, too.

Now, it looked and felt quite sweet to be impervious there, with two big guys closing in with opponent unable to do anything to them.

However, it wasn't that sweet when the 22 and 15 point warbeasts were tied up by two Allegiants of the Order of the Fist, with me being unable to do anything to them thanks to way too high defense.

If it wasn't for them, my bold plan of grinding control points from flag might have been a little more feasible. Now I just put Rasheth in the way of continuous assassination attempts, or at least possibilities.

Slowly and steadily Exemplars were clearing zone on the right, so my scenario victory didn't look like it would happen any time soon.

Frustrated, Tiberion trampled forward, hoping to survive long enough to somehow get to Harbinger.

Well, Tiberion was killed. Game had dragged on for quite a while by now, and there didn't seem to be any chance for a win to me, only to prolong the inevitable. I did something most unheard of: I conceded.



Game 2:

Void Seer Mordikaar
- Agonizer
- Aradus Soldier
- Archidon
- Cyclops Savage
- Titan Gladiator

Cataphract Cetrati (max)
Paingiver Beast Handlers (min)
Praetorian Swordsmen (max) + Officer & Standard
Swamp Gobbers Bellows Crew
Paingiver Bloodrunner Master Tormentor
Void Spirit

Scenario was The Pit II, and Protectorate started again.

I figured I had very little options, as Harbinger would have absolutely no trouble at all at removing Hollow from Swordsmen. I did get a couple of souls from the spell when Harbinger chose not to cast Purification, but all in all I think I lost more Fury in upkeeping and re-casting the spell than what I gained from souls.

So I decided to rush in with all I got and hope +3 defense would give a chance to do something, somewhere, preferably via charging, ghostly Archidon at Harbinger.

It kind of worked, except for the charge part. I did manage to navigate in the thick of Protectorate forces for quite a while, and Harbinger went dangerously low on her health thanks to Martyrdom a few times during game. Mordikaar was able to annoy her a bit with Manifest Void, too.

Now, for some reason it didn't even cross my mind during game that I might have tried to assassinate her during those turns of low hit points with Essence Blast targeted somewhere else so that Devout wouldn't be able to protect her. Instead I tried to win Harbinger with attrition and scenario. A choice well made!

But somehow, at the height of my power, I was at 3-0 control points. Then the downfall began and I started to run out of, well, everything, and so I did not contest nor did I score points any longer.

It's nice to know I did have the chance here, even if feeble mind didn't realize it.